The Worry of Worming

The thought of worms, especially intestinal worms, is enough to make your skin crawl. But pet owners need to know about these parasites in order to keep their animals, and their family, healthy.

The most common parasitic worms are roundworms, while the most visible are the tapeworms. Both cause problems, but there are safe and effective treatments for keeping these worms at
bay.

When it comes to roundworms, every dog has his day: it is estimated that all dogs will be infected by roundworms at some point in their lives. In fact, puppies can be born with roundworms if their mother is infected.

Roundworm eggs are found everywhere in the environment. Dogs become infected by consuming 100 of these eggs or less, which is pretty easy for a dog to do given that the species tends to eat or lick just about anything they find outdoors.

Cats, on the other hand, are much less likely to eat all sorts of mysterious objects found on the ground, but the species of roundworm that infects cats is transmitted when the cat eats a mouse or other wild prey animal. Kittens can get roundworms from their mother's milk, if the mother is infected.

People with pets in the household can get roundworms too. They become infected with the dog roundworm, Toxocara canis, if they accidentally swallow some worm eggs. This can happen when children playing with a puppy touch their face before washing their hands.

The best way to prevent human infections is by hand washing and making sure the family dog or cat is not infected.

Signs that a pet is infected with roundworms include weight loss, dull hair coat, a pot-bellied appearance and just being generally unwell. Young animals with a heavy infection may even vomit up worms. Other infected pets may show no signs at all, while still spreading the eggs into the environment.

The certain sign that a pet has tapeworms is finding segments of worms shed in a pet's poop. These segments are actually packets of
eggs. Cats and dogs get tapeworms by eating infected fleas or wild animals.

If a pet appears to have worms, seek the help of a veterinarian. There are many effective, safe and affordable prescription medications.

Source:
Dr. Allan Paul, Veterinary Parasitologist, University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine

Pet Supplies
Animal Husbandry and Livestock Books
WormX Plus Dog Dewormer 
Feline Tape Worm Tabs
Artwork: Roundworm